Supersonic aircraft

Abstract

A supersonic aircraft includes an internal passageway, an articulated intake structure and an articulated exhaust structure which is connected to the intake structure by the passageway. The articulated intake structure defines an opening having a cross-section which is essentially equal to the cross-section of the aircraft's fuselage when configured for supersonic flight and smaller opening when configured for subsonic flight. Also, for supersonic flight, the cross-sectional area of the air intake structure decreases in the direction of air flow. For subsonic flight, the cross-sectional area of the air intake structure is relatively constant. For supersonic flight, the exhaust structure defines a cross-section which increases in the direction of air flow.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An aircraft designed for flight at supersonic speeds comprising a longitudinally extending fuselage and a wing attached thereto, said fuselage having forward, intermediate and rear portions with a space for carrying a payload disposed in said intermediate portion and with a separate passageway extending longitudinally through said fuselage, propulsion means disposed in said passageway and an exhaust exit structure disposed in said rear portion of said fuselage and connected to said propulsion means by said passageway, a variable air intake structure disposed in said forward portion of said fuselage for directing a flow of air into and through said separate passageway and into said propulsion means for exhaust thereby through said exhaust exit structure, said variable intake structure defining a first cross-sectional area in a first position for supersonic flight and a smaller cross-sectional area in a second position for subsonic flight and in which said passageway includes articulated means for reducing the cross-section thereof forwardly of said propulsion means to thereby compress the air passing through said passageway and into said propulsion means and in which said rear portion of said fuselage includes an articulated member rearwardly of said propulsion means which is positionable to increase the cross-sectional area of said exhaust exit structure in the direction of flow to an area which is essentially equal to the cross sectional area of said fuselage so that diffusion of the exhaust flow occurs therein during supersonic flight. 
     
     
       2. An aircraft designed for flight at supersonic speeds in accordance with claim 1, wherein said variable intake structure defines an opening with a cross-sectional area which is essentially equal to the cross-sectional area of said fuselage when said articulated intake structure is in its supersonic position. 
     
     
       3. An aircraft designed for flight at supersonic speeds in accordance with claim 2 wherein said fuselage has a generally rectangular uniform cross-section along its length when said articulated intake structure is in its supersonic position. 
     
     
       4. An aircraft designed for flight at supersonic speeds in accordance with claim 2 in which said variable intake structure includes an articulated plate member. 
     
     
       5. An aircraft designed for flight at supersonic speeds in accordance with claim 4 in which said passageway is disposed in the bottom of said fuselage and below said space for carrying a payload. 
     
     
       6. An aircraft designed for flight at supersonic speeds in accordance with claim 5 in which said passageway and said propulsion means are fully encompassed by said fuselage. 
     
     
       7. An aircraft designed for flight at supersonic speeds in accordance with claim 1 in which the cross-sectional area of said exhaust structure is essentially equal to the cross-sectional area of said variable air intake structure when the aircraft is configured for supersonic speeds. 
     
     
       8. An aircraft designed for flight at supersonic speeds comprising a fuselage and a wing attached to said fuselage, said fuselage having forward, intermediate and rear portions with a space for carrying a payload disposed in said intermediate portion and with a separate longitudinal passage extending through said fuselage and propulsion means disposed within said passage, an intake disposed forwardly of said propulsion means for directing a flow of air through said passage and into said propulsion means and a multi-positionable exhaust exit structure rearwardly of said propulsion means including a part of said rear portion of said fuselage forming an outwardly diverging nozzle when in a first position for supersonic flight and forming a passage with a relatively uniform cross-section when in a second position for subsonic flight. 
     
     
       9. An aircraft designed for flight at supersonic speeds comprising a fuselage and a wing attached to said fuselage, a longitudinal passage extending through said fuselage and turbo jet propulsion means disposed within said passage, an articulated intake structure disposed forwardly of said propulsion means for directing a flow of air through said passage and into said propulsion means, said articulated intake structure positionable in a first position for compressing air as it passes therethrough during supersonic flight and positionable in a second position for subsonic flight, said rear portion of said fuselage including an articulated member rearwardly of said propulsion means which forms a part of said exhaust structure, said articulated structure in a first position providing said exhaust structure with a relatively uniform cross-sectional area along the direction of flow for subsonic flight and in a second position providing said exhaust exit structure with an increasing cross-sectional area in the direction of flow so that diffusion occurs within said exhaust exit structure during supersonic flight. 
     
     
       10. An aircraft designed for flight at supersonic speeds in accordance with claim 9 wherein said articulated intake structure defines an opening with a cross-sectional area which is essentially equal to the cross-sectional area of the fuselage when said articulated intake structure is positioned for supersonic flight.